Finland's young stars shined brightest
One of the most impressive players at the camp was Finland forward Eeli Tolvanen, a top prospect for the 2017 draft. He had three goals and three assists in five games, including back-to-back two-point games to close the camp.
"He's a good scorer but he's playing both ways well," Finland coach Jukka Rautakorpi said. "He understands hockey well and he has that effort, and he has that sense and a good future I think."
For the final game against Sweden on Saturday, Tolvanen was moved to first-line right wing and responded with two assists in Finland's 3-2 shootout loss.
"I get a little extra for my game," Tolvanen said of being moved to the top line. "First line lets me show what I got."
Kristian Vesalainen, another top prospect for the 2017 draft, didn't have a point at the camp but impressed with his size (6-foot-2, 202 pounds) and skating ability.
"He's a big guy and he's not afraid of anything," said linemate Kasper Bjorkqvist (Pittsburgh Penguins). "Playing in Sweden [Frolunda], you can see he plays that Swedish hockey game. He wants to play with the puck and keep the puck. He skates really good. It's a pretty high-paced game with him."
Finland was missing a number of experienced players, among them forwards Patrik Laine (Winnipeg Jets), Jesse Puljujarvi (Edmonton Oilers) and Henrik Borgstrom (Panthers), and defensemen Olli Juolevi (Vancouver Canucks) and Markus Niemelainen (Oilers). After allowing 16 goals in their first two games, Finland won two of its final three, and limited Canada and United States to one goal each in victories.
The results in Michigan, combined with the return of some older players who won gold at the 2016 World Junior, could bode well for the WJC.
"The exhibition games we were playing on Sunday and Monday were many things happening so fast against our team," Rautakorpi said. "But we told the boys when we practiced, think about how we have to play here. I asked for commitment and good discipline, and you saw that."